The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-06
The Sad Story Of On Old Heart That
Had to Unburden Itssif. -

"Going north, madamW @S
mo, Ma'am." stE$l
"Going south, then ?"y
II don't know, ma'am."
"Why, there are only two ways to
CO."
"I didn't know. I was never on
the cars. I'm waiting for the train to
60 to john"
John? There is no town called
John. Where is it?"
"Oh! Johns my son. He is out In z
Kansas on claim" .SS
"I am going right to Kansas myself.
You intend to visit?" . -. ..
mo, ma'am." (
She said it with sigh 80 heartburn
dened the stranger was touched.
."John sick ?" -:
"No.n
The evasive tone, the look of pain In
the furrowed face were noticed by the
stylish lady as the gray head bowed
upon the toil-marked hand. She want
ed to hear the story; to help her.
"Excuse me-John in trouble 2"
mo, no-I'm in trouble. Trouble
my old heart never thought to see."
1.-THE train does not come for some
time. Here, rest your head upon my
cloak"
"You are kind. If my own were so
I shouldn't be in trouble tonight" *
what is your trouble? Maybe +
can help YOU"
"Its hard to tell it to strangers, but
my old heart is too full to keep 1t back. :
When I was left a widow with the (
three children, I thought 1t was more
than I could bear; but it wasn't bad as
this"
The stranger waited till she recover
ed her voice to 60 on. o.. -, :.
IT had only the cottage and my
willing hands. toiled early and late
all the years till John could help me. s
Then we kept the girls at school, John
and me. They were married not long
ago. Married rich as the world goes.
John sold the cottage, sent me to the
city to live with them, and he went
west to begin for himself. He said we
had provided for the girls and they
would provide for ME now"
Her voice choked with emotion.
The stranger waited in silence.
II went to them in the city, went
to Mary's first. She lived in q great
house, with servants to wait on her q
house many times larger than the lit
tie cottage-but I soon found there
wasn't room enough for me-"
1.-THE tears stood in the lines on her
cheeks. The ticket agent came out
softly, stirred the fire and went back.
After pause she continued:
81 went to Martha's-went with a
pain in my heart I never felt before.
+ was willing to do anything so as not
to be burden. But that wasn'tit. I
found they were ashamed Of my bent
old body and my withered face,
ashamed of my rough, wrinkled hands
made so toiling for them" ~
The tears came thick and fast now.
The strangers hand rested caressingly
on the gray head,
"At last they told me must live at
boarding house and they'd keep me
there. couldn't say anything back:
NV heart was too full from pain. I
wrote to John what they were going
to do. He wrote right back. long,
kind letter for me to come right to
him. always had a home while he
had roof, he said. To come right
there and stay as long as lived. That
his mother should never 60 out 10
strangers. So I'm going to John.
He's got only his rough hands and his
great warm heart-but there's room
for his old motherhood bless him."
The stranger brushed tear from her
fair cheek and awaited the conclusion.
"Some day when I am gone where
I'll never trouble them again Mary
and Martha will think of it all. Some
day when the hands that toiled for
them are folded and still; when the\
eyes that watched over them through
many weary night are closed forever;
when the little old body, bent. with
the burdens it bore for them, Is put
away where it can never shame
Them"
The agent drew his hand quickly be-
fore his eyes, and went out, as II 70
look for the train. The strangers
ieweled fingers stroked the gray locks
while the tears of sorrow and the tears
of sympathy fell together, The wea,
nv heart was unburdened. Soothed
by the touch of sympathy the troub-
led soul yielded to the longing for rest,
and she fell asleep.